Christopher Campbell

Christopher George Campbell was born on Sept. 16, 1974, at Tripler Army Medical Center on the island of Oahu, Hawai'i.

Chris was killed while serving our country along with fellow comrades in the Wardak province of Afghanistan on Aug. 6, 2011, during a rescue mission.

He leaves behind his wife and partner in life's adventures, Angelina; daughter, Samantha; parents, Larry and Diane; sister, Cindy; and brother, sister-in-law, and niece, Le, Terri and Courtney. He is preceded in death by both maternal and paternal grandparents who lived in northern Mississippi. Other survivors include uncles, aunts and cousins.

Chris graduated from White Oak High school in 1993, where he played football, baseball and basketball. While growing up, Chris attended First Free Will Baptist Church in Jacksonville. Chris was an avid outdoorsman who loved the beach and spent hours riding waves. He was also a proponent of hunting conservation, ocean conservation and sand dune preservation to ensure our beaches are maintained for the enjoyment of future generations. Chris was a proud supporter of the Wounded Warriors Project.

Petty Officer Campbell enlisted in the Navy and reported to Naval Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Ill., on Nov. 25, 1996. On Feb. 4, 1997, he completed basic training and reported to FCTCLANT in Dam Neck, Va. Three months later, he entered Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) Training (Class 215) in Coronado, Calif. After six months of the most grueling and demanding training in the military, he graduated and reported to Basic Airborne School in Fort Benning, Ga.

He was assigned to his first permanent duty station on the west coast from May 6, 1998, to June, 4, 2001, and was then transferred to another SEAL team until May 8, 2004, and then to Naval Special Warfare Command in Key West, Fla., until Feb 17, 2006. After his tour was completed in Key West, Petty Officer Campbell became an east coast-based SEAL, where he completed numerous deployments around the world in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

First Class Petty Officer (SEAL) Campbell was a highly-decorated combat veteran with numerous awards including the Bronze Star Medal with Valor (2), Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor, Purple Heart Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (2), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon (2), Presidential Unit Citation (2), Navy Unit Commendation, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism (Service) Medal, Global War on Terrorism (Expeditionary) Medal, and numerous other personal and unit decorations.

Chris will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., at 4 p.m. Aug. 26. There will be a memorial service in Virginia Beach, Va., at Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home, at 6 p.m. Aug. 17 for close friends and family. There will be a visitation for those who wish to pay their respects from 4 to 5:30 p.m. There will be a memorial service in Jacksonville at White Oak High School at 4 p.m. Aug. 20.

In lieu of flowers, Chris requested that donations be sent in honor of his memory to the Wounded Warriors Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675-8517, or donations can be made online at support.woundedwarriorproject.org.

Condolences may be made at jdnews.com.